The Sun. — London, England, 1864-12-22 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence. The operation of plating the iron-cased frigate Lord Warden, 24, 1,000 horse power, under con• struction on No. 7 slip at Chatham Dockyard, was commenced yesterday. Four of the 51 -inch armour' plates are fixed in their places on the port and star board broadsides of the frigate. This Zhiokness of plate will be carried from the lower edge to 2ft. above the water's surface—or, in other words, the portion of the vessel which is most likely to be struck by shot will be protected with the thickest armour-plates. But although 5 inches will be the maximum thickness of armour-plates used in encase log the Lord Warden, an extra thickness of iron has been worked along her broadsides by the introduce tion of 11 inch plates between the frames and behind the outer planking. It is exactly this additional thickness of iron now used by Rr Reed, the Chief Constructor of the Navy, for the first time, in his vcssels of the Lord Warden and Lord Clyde class, which will render them all but impregnable to modern artillery. The quantity of armour-plating the Lord "Warden is intended to carry is between 1,350 and 1,500 tons. Instead of the armour being carried along only a portion of her sides it will cover the whole vulnerable portion of the frigate from stem to stern, and at the same time be carried completely over two decks. The most novel feature observable in the Lord Ward©n is the high heavy bow, towering above her fighting deck, which is in. tended to be armed with the thickest kind of plates to give protection to the battery of heavy guns in tended to - be placed in that part of the ship. Hitherto it has been the practice in war ships, and especially in those composing the iron•clad squadron, to give great roundness, or bluffness, to the bow above the water, for the purpose of affording space there for guns capable of firing right ahead, and to make the ship very narrow below the water immediately beneath this bluff and heavy bow, in order to give speed, to which everything else would appear to have been sacrificed. The consEquence of this has notoriously been a great disposition to plunge in our ships of war, and especially in those iron-plated frigates in which the full bow above, unlike the stem of the Warrior, is burdened with armour. In the Lord Warden all this will be corrected by the long ender-water bow, projecting some 10ft or 12ft beyond the stem. It will give such buoyancy to that part of the vessel that althoagh an enormous:thick- ness of armour is carried all round the bow a loft, and four large guns firing a head in a line with the keel, are protected, it is expected that the entire fore part of the ship will be more satisfactorily water borne than the bows even of the frigates which carry no armour at ail. With this improvement is also as sociated another equally important—viz., a total change in the form of the vertical sections of the bow, the new form of section being U•shaped, in opposition to the old V•ahaped bows, to which the Admiralty have until now so pertinaciously clung, The slightest thonghtwill convince anyone that when the bow of a ship is formed like a V it will cleave the water with facility as the ship plunges, and thus tend to increase the violence of each plunge. A bow, on the other hand, formed like a U, will be obviou , ..ly greatly obstructed by the water in its descent, and thus the violence of the plunge will be diminished. Fur these reasons it is anticipated that, in spite of the great weight of armour which the Lord Warden will carry, which exceeds that of any other vessel efhat, she will be -c-zsier in a seaway than any previously constructed irons-cased frigate. This form of construction will, at the same time, give greater space and airiness in eac'a deck, ,and additional security for the powder and shell magazines, which will be kept at least Bft, below the water, and within the shelter of the armour-casing. The screw frigate Bristol, 39, 3,027 tons, 600 horse power, fitting in the steam basin for the first division of the Chatham steam reserve in the Medway, is getting well forward in her fitments,both inboard and aloft, and will shortly be out of hand. Oil her completion another of the most serviceable of our unarmoured class of screw frigates will be at the disposal of the Admiralty for commission, to relieve one of the numerous vessels which will arrive home in the course of the ensuing year. The Highflyer, 20, screw corvette, recently com missioned at Portsmouth by Capt. Pasiey, was un docked at that port yesterday after an examination and repair to her valves and copper below the water line. The llighflyer is berthed for the present along side Portsmouth Dockyard, with no data yet Ex.,.d for her leaving England on her term of foreign ser vice. It is not probable that she will now be de spatched until after the 27th or 28th inst. The Rigar, 78, screw line of battle ship, Capt. G. P. Hornby, flagship of Rear-Admiral Sidney Col pays Decree, C. 8.; and the Aurora, 35, screw fri gate, Capt. Sir Leopold M. M'Clintock, have both hauled off from alongside Portsmouth dockyard, and having completed their refit and painting, will be ready in a few days for sea. It is not probable that either of the ships will be out of har bour until after:Christmas at the earliest, as their services are urgently required elsewhere. The Imperial Ottoman screw line-of-battle ship at Southampton, and the two screw frigates in the Thames, all at present receiving their engines and boilers, manufactured for them in this country, are expected to assemble at Spithead about the middle of next month, in order to try their machinery and speed at the measured mile in Stokes Bay, under the direction of the Admiralty officials, previous to the squadron sailing from England for Constantis nopie. Major.a.m. Henry Palliser died at Victoria•park, Dover, at the age of 71. Be entered the Royal Regiment of Artillery as Second Lieut. June 4, 1810, and served in the Peninsula and France from■ November 1812, until May, 1814, and received the silver war medal, with four casps. He served also in the American war. He became First.. Lieut. on February 18, 1814, and was employed with the army of occupation in France from June, 1815, to Nov., 1818. His commissions bear date as Captain, wept. 27, 1832 ; Brevet-Major, Nov. 9, 1846; Lieut.-Col., Nov. 1, 1848; Brevet-Col,, Nov. 28, 1854; Col., Dec. 13, 1854; and Major-Gen. in 1861 NATIONAL REFORM UNION.—A public meeting in connection with this union was held on Tuesday at Manchester, Mr G. Wilson in the chair. The attendance was numerous. The _Chairman in his address alluded to Mr Buxton's propositions which appeared in a letter in the Times a few days ago. He said he believed that Mr Buxton was most anxious that the working classes should get what was due to them ; but he advised Mr Buxton to visit the homes of those men, for there he would find spit its as noble as any that dwelt in palaces. With respect to tho recent meeting at Bradford, he hoped that it would be followed by others of a similar character, in various parts of the country. Mr Jacob Bright said that if _there were a large waking class vote, and members to vote for, he believed one of the first things they would do would be to promote the estab • lishment of a system of free public schools, similar to that great institution which was the glory of the free states of America. (Applause.) Mr T. Spence having addressed the meeting, Mr Alderman Heywood said that the moot ing was not prepared to accept such a reform bill as that Proposed by Mr Buxton. (No, no.) Nor were they pre pared to discuss the question with him whether they would have such a bill or not. Any question like that , whoever might propos e i t, they utterly repudiated. (Applaiire.) Of all Liberalism, he should reject that under the style and title of moderate Liberalism, which Mr Buxton described himself as promotin g , ( 1 4lilatve ) Mr M. Price said Mr B ux t on was a member of the lower House of Lords, and a Whig; and his letter in the Tiin, s was a nasty compound of stump blarney and Whig sophisms, (Laughter.) The westing concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman. . Serious alarm Was cautod on Sund a y i n t h e Church of Scint.Severin. The service had just con cluded. and M. Hanicle, the cure, wais.leaving th , vestry, when the report of a firearm was hea rd. 'the c ongrega , . tion rushing towards the e 1 of whence the n oise pr ocee d ed, a woman was seen holeing in her hint: a p istol, w h ichshe Ltd in7t disci:arr.:fad at the cure, hnt fortunately withent injuring Hai. The culprit, who, the better to avoid bei ng reeng-eina, had assumed male attire, had frequently received pccuniary assistance from M. Hanic!e, but a refusal on his part to accede to her last application is supposed to have induced her to adopt this made et revenge. She was arrested and taken to the Prefecture of Police. A telegraphic despatch from Toulon mentions the arrival in that port of the Invincible frigate from Tunis, wnich place she left on the 16.1. Agitation had recom menced in the south of the Regency. The Arabs had sur routaded the camp of General Ruttern. Ptince Ali, at the head of a body of troops, left on the 15:h to relieve the General. Cotton Supply Association, At the usual meeting of the executive committee, held on Tuesday last, a letter was read from the British Vice.Consnlate at Larissa and Volo, enclose ing a sample of native cotton and one grown from American seed in Thessaly, as also a sample from the neighbouring province of Liiadia, in Greece. The cotton crop, which has now been gathered, will be about 2,000,0001 b., being but little more than half the return which early favourable prospects had indicated; This has 13-_ , 3n owing to untoward natural causes. Toward the close of August a fierce scorching wind, called " Leevab," similar to the desert blasts known to Eastern travellers as the " Seam" or " Seemoom," which often oceurs in Thessaly during high summer, and which parches all vegetation, swept over the plans for several suc cessive days. The native plants suffered severely, and, although those from American seed did so in a less degree, the damage to them was serious. At thb commencement of the picking season heavy rains set in, which, continuing without intermission throughout the first half of October, did great mis. chief. — In the vicinity of the mountain slopes the torrents and floods were very destructive, and not a single district escaped without more or less loss. The greater resistance of the cotton grown from Ameri. can seed to unfavourable weather influences, as com pared with the indigenous, the larger returns ob• tained, and its higher value, seem at length to have convinced agriculturists of the great advantage of cul tivating the New Orleans variety. The plantations from American seed, though attacked by locusts in early spring, subsequently put out fresh leaves, defied the " Leevah's" scorching effects, and finally gave a goodly, thongh diminished, return of choice cotton, Ginning by power machinery is now at operation at Volo, at Larissa, and some other principal places in the interior; while some presses at Volo daily pack from 25 to 30 baits each, of from 2201 b to 2181 b weight. These, however, will soon be inade quate to meet the calls upon them, now constantly on the increase. A letter received from Trieste re presents Lower Albania to be specially suited to the growth of cotton. The climate is good, the pc. pulation industrious and intelligent, while such es. periments as have already been made have proved most successful, and have excited an earnest desire to make farther efforts with better seed. A supply of Egyptian and American seed was granted: A letter was read from Naples, stating there is a con. siderable demand for American seed, and that the quantity of land applied to the cultivation of cot- ton has been three or fcur times that of last year. The spring frosts rendered it necessary to replant a portion, and much was sown so late that it hardly arrived at maturity befure the early rains and cool autumn checked the ripening. 0 wing to the unto ward season, the produce, it is thought, will not be more than 60 per cent. of the anticipated quantity, and this, it is feared, will be of inferior quality. It is expected that a still larger area will be placed under cotton next year. A letter was received from Constantinople describing the difficalties which the writer has encountered in carrying out his project to establish a model farm, and expressing his opinion that though Asia Minor atone might furnish a million bales of cotton every year, the system of agriculture is so defective that it will be long before any such expectation will be realised. 113 alleges that the poor pea sant is hindered in the cultivation of his land by the rapacity and oppression which exist, and the fear that his profits will be absorbed by some dishonest official. A letter was read accompany ing a sample of cotton from St. Lucia, and reporting that the cultivation has been extensively commenced. A letter was received describing a landed property in Jamaica, within six miles of Kingston, containing 1,360 acres, the owner of which is intending to go out and cultivate cotton on a part of it under his own supervision. Ho wishes to ob tain pecuniary advances to carry out his purpose, for which he offers as security a mortgage of the property and a policy of insurance. He would be glad to communicate with any parties disposed to join him in his proposed enterprise, and to give ample information. A. letter was read from the Foreign-office, stating that a despatch has been re ceived from her Majesty's Minister at Tangier, re porting that the Moorish Government has removed for one year the prohibition on the exportation of cotton; and that owing to representations of Sir John Hay, his Majesty the Sultan has consented, at the expiration of the year, to consider whether the prohibition shall or shall not be altogether re moved. A letter was also read from the Foreign office, stating that the acting British Consul at Niogpo has reported, under date of Oct. 7, that the value of raw cotton exported from that port last year amounted to nearly £1,000,000 sterling, and that the quality is every year improving, while the supply of it apparently is only limited by the dee mand. A letter from the honorary agents of the as sociation at Bombay states that applications for seed continue to be received, chiefly from up-country from Government ( ffi3ers, who seem to be earnestly doing what lies in their power to extend and im prove the cultivation of cotton on that side of India A sample of cotton-like produc3 from the East, for. warded from Lille, of which many sp ec i men s have been at various times sent to the association as pro posed substitutes for cotton, was received but not considered to be available. Preparations of several indigenous fibres, the results of experiments made with the view of producing a substitute for cotton, were submitted for examination, and a specimen of fibre from Natal, which it is said can be produced in large quantities. The samples of cotton from the Punjab previously advised were received, and valued at 19J, 183, and 14d, respectively. In the district where these were grown it is stated that the extent of land planted with cotton has year by year been largely increased. An application for seed by an intending emigrant to Queensland was granted, which concluded the business. STATE OF TRADE, CARDIFF, Dec. 20.—The reduction in the Bank rate of discount has not yet had any material effect upon the staple trades of the district, although it is expected that at the commencement of the new year busiuees will be active if money keeps down. In the iron trade makers and buyers are waiting the decision of the quarterly meetings before either giving out or accepting large orders, and in conse quence there are not many specifications in hand. Quotations remain without alteration, the market being rather in favour of buyers ; and the resolution arrived at in reference to the wages question will to a great extent decide as to whether the present prices will be maintained or not. The usual inac tivity characterises the tin-plate trade, and there is only a limited business doing. Taking into consi deration the time of the year, the steam coal trade is brisk, and the merchants are welt off for orders. The cold weather has increased the home sale of house coal, and the collieries are in regular employ. Coke continues in fair demand. DUNDEE, 20th.—The demand for flax, tow, and codilla remains quiet, the only sales making bei ng to supply pressing wants or to keep up assortments, for which very full prices are paid. Jute is also dull, and previous prices are with difficulty got, except ing for the finer qualities, with which the market is not well supplied. Yarns of all kinds are in. request to-day, and a considerable business is reported at very firm and, in some instances, slightly higher prices. Some descriptions of linen are also more inquired for, and ordera to a fair ex tent have been placed for them. The market gene rally is rather more active than it has been lately, and prices firm-r for nearly all the fabrics made here and in the district. NOTTINGII32,I, 21st. —There has been a little more inquiry for lace goods for the Continent, but still the orders cm% enalli and merely for assorting up. the high price of yarns prevents the making of i plain nets and a ll c l asses of heavy goods, except th order. The production of tketie goods is small, end should any demand arise prices w ou ld i mme di a t e l y advance. Th e s i lk trade of remains ati the quiet in all its branches, b ut with the turn enewy trade e ear , ab r et: m te a r i d n e s m q a u n i d ete i r s expected.than eze The American expected after the Presidential election. The hosiery trade is without change. Alany hands are out of work, but on the whole business is healthy. Yarns firm an d dear. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 22, 1864. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. MIDLAND CIRCUIT—LEEDS, Dec. 21. (Before Mr Justice Keating.) John Glynn was indicted for the wilful murder of Richard Jowitt, at Otley, on the 6th November, 1855. Mr Middleton and Mr Shaw conducted the prosecution ; Mr Blackburn defended the prisoner, Mr Middleton stated that the jury would have to pro. teed in this case with extreme caution, as it was so long since the murder was committed, and the evidence against the prisoner rested on the uncorroborated statements of a aingle witness. On the evening in question the deceased boy was brought home dying, having left the house in per. feet health about two hours before. On undressing him he was found to be stabbed in the stomach. The following morning he stated a lad had stabbed him. Several boys were brought to him for identification of the boy who had stabbed him, but he was unable to do so ; ho died during the afternoon of the same day—and now, at the end of nine years, a man named Leathley came forward and told a tale that the jury w ,uld hear best from him. Leathley also gave a motive for the prisoner stabbing the deceased, and if they believed him only one course was open to them, and that was to bring in the prisoner guilty of murder. Elizabeth Jowett—l am the wife of Wm. Jewett. I had a son named Richard. In September, 1855, he worked at Mr Ackroyd's mills. He took his meals and lodged at my house at Otley. On Tuesday, the 6th November, I remem ber him coming home from work at 20 minutes to 6. He got his tea and after that he went out. He was in good health. He left between half-past 6 and 7. He came home between 9 and 10. He appeared to be in a dying state. He was as pale as death. I spoke to him, lie was not able to speak to me when he first came in. He stood by the door. I took him to bed. The bedroom is upstairs. I took off his clothes. I noticed that they were stained with blood. I sent for Mr Ritchie. During the next day some boys were brought to my house by the constable. My son was con scious when they were brought. The boys were shown to him. The constable afterwards brought the prisoner, be tween 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon. When the prisoner was brought one or two boys were with him. The prisoner stood by the foot of the bed. I stood nearer to my son than the prisoner. Hebointed to the boys and said, " 1 believe that is the boy." He said it so loud. that the prisoner could hear. My son was very weak at the time. I cannot say if there were one or two boys with the prisoner. I said to my son " Mind what you are doing,that you do not swear to the wrong one." He said he did not want to tell, because they would kill him at Otley if he got better. The prisoner said nothing. My son lived four hours after this. He was 12 years old the September before. Cross-examined by Mr Blackburn—There was an inquest on the body. did not eay before the coroner that he had said threo Irish boys attacked him, and that one of them pricked him. He told me when he came in that three Irish boys had met him, that one of them had pricked him, and that the three had beaten him. Ho said ho went to the 801 l Inn, and when he left two Irish boys went into the town. He said there was a big Irish boy got hold of him— that something ran into him, but he did not know what. He told me one of the boys said he would " fix" him, that the boy hurt him, and said, " I have given it thee." My son always spoke of more boys than one being with him. He gave me to understand that the boy who struck him was the boy he struck some days before. No one was taken before the magistrates. Re-examined—No boys were brought in after my son made the statemennt. John Smith said—l am a superintendent at Otley. I heard of Richard Jowitt being wounded, I went to the father's house. I took some boys. I took John Glynn and two other boys. They all stood at the bottom of the bed. The mother was sitting by the bedside. I did not hear anything pass between the mother and lie_r son. I asked Jowitt if any of them stabbed him the night before. lie said something to his mother. I did not hear what he said. His mother said, " Don't swear to any one, if so he will be hanged." I told Mrs Jowitt that she must not de feat the ends of justice. I then asked Jowitt again if any of the boys stabbed him. He then turned or to his side and said he thought not. I took no one after. I took Wynn from the description the deceased gave; he is an Irishman. After his death I had a conversation with Leathley. I bad another conversation at another time about six months after. I had three or four conver sations en the same subject. I apprehended the priso ner on the 22d of November; he said, "You took me before, and the boy did not swear to me." The deceased said that three boys had been playing at tig with him near the Fleece Inn ; that he tigged a boy that stood in the passage. The boy caught him at Well-hill, and said, " I have caught you now, and I will give it you," The deceased said that he had been struck with a sharp bottle. He died on the 7th of September. Joeeph Leathley said,—l am 28 years old. In November, 1855, I was working at Else Gill, which is one mile and a half from Otley. I know the prisoner. I worked with him. I was a friend of his. The prisoner then was about 20. I remember the night cf the murder. I left my work at 8. I went to West-gate. No one but the prisoner went with me; we walked together. I saw the deceased Jowitt in West hill. He was standing in the street under the lamp. I saw Wynn go and strike him ; ho then struck him again. Jowitt fell; he woe knocked down, Glynn lifted him up, put his hand into his pocket, and Fulled cut a knife. He struck the boy a second time with the knife in his hand. It hit the boy in the belly. The prisoner then ran away down West-gate. I then went home. I had a conversation with the prisoner 12 or 14 days before. Ile said there had been a fight between one of his younger brothers end Jowitt, and said ho would have revenge on Jowitt. They were at the mill at the time. I was present at the fight; that was the only conversation we had about the fight. I was taken during the day to the house of the deceased. I think I went with Larkin. I saw the prisoner at the mill about one hour after. I told him I had been to Mr Jowitt's. He asked me how I came On. I told him the boy Jowitt said it was not him. I saw the prisoner every day, I spoke to him the same week about the death. We had a quarrel. I threatened if he struck me to tell. He said if ever I did he would have my life. I continued to work 15 or 16 weeks at the mill ; the prisoner worked there too. Wo were not very good friends after the boy's death. I then became a soldier. I stayed in the militia one year and nine months. After that I went to work at the mills again. I live now three or four miles from Otley. I went to Burleigh feast in October last. I saw the prisoner there, He had some friends with him. They followed me. The same week I told a man that the prisoner had stabbed the boy. I told James Cooper. 1 never spoke to the police about it. Cross-examined by Mr Blackburn—l mentioned to the police one week after that I knew the man who had stabbed Jowitt. I told Superintendent Smith. I was not before the coroner. On Nov. 6 I came from the mill with the prisoner. Without saying a word he went and struck Jowitt, I was four yards off. I did not interfere. I saw him fall. I did not go to him. I saw the prisoner strike him. All I said was'" For God's sake, dont hurt him." I did not go and say that the boy was stabbed on the pavement. I saw the knife. I saw no other boys running away, I threatened to tell a week after. No one was present when ho told me he should have revenue. lam sure he made use of that word• He said he would give it the boy, and said he would have revenge. It was eight days before the murder that the fight took place. The boy was on the ground when I went away. Jowitt could have seen me when I was with the prisoner. He called me by my name in the bedroom. lam not Irish' lam not living with my wife. I have left her eight years. I left her because she went with other men. I left her owing to the prisoner. Re-examined by Mr Middleton-4 ton Smith on three occasions that I knew who stabbed Jowitt. I went away from my wife because the prisoner threatened my life, so I thought I had better be off. Thos. Ritchie, a surgeon, stated that the deceased died of the wound, and that considerable violence must have been used. Mr Blackburn contended on behalf of the prisoner that the witness Leathley was utterly unworthy of credit; that the deceased boy Jowitt told quite another story, and that it was the duly of the jury to acquit the prisoner. His Lordship, in summing up, said that the credit duo to a witness was a question for the jury. That no one could be called by the prisoner to disprove what Leathley said, ao Leathley was alone on every occasion with the pri. Boner. If the statement of Leathley was true, there was no doubt a most brutal murder had been perpetrated. The wit - ness Leathloy also gave a motive for the murder, and that was the fight between deceased and the prisoner's brether. From the evidence of the surgeon there was no doubt the boy had been murdered, and although no time was too long to inquire into the death of any person, yet in this case they must remember that for nine years one man who pro fessed to know who the guilty man was had not mentioned that fact to any ono. The jury found the prisoner not guilty. NORFOLK CIRCUIT.—ATLESSUILY, Dec. 2 The commission for holding the winter assizes for the county of Bucks was opened yesterday afternoon by Baron Bramwell. The business is light, there being only nine cases for trial, and the names of 15 prisoners in the calendar. The offences charged are —arson, 3; burglary 2; bigamy, 1; night poaching, 2 ; and highway robbery, 1. Three prisoners pleaded guilty to the crime of arson, one of them having set fire to a stack of straw and the eater two to a stack of hay. In sentencing them his Lordship said to two of them, Smith and Mason, yours is the common case of persons who are in some want of work, and burn down property because you think you will be taken care of in prison ;Ibut you and others like you must be taught that this is an offence that will be severely punished. If yon want t- be taken care of and have no home go the workhouse, where you will not only be taken care of, but he allowed to leave when you wish. Now, however, you will bo taken care of in a diffe rent manner, for you are sentenced to eight years penal servitude. As to you, Desall, added his lordship, turning to the other prisoner, yours is a very different and much worse case. What you did was not from want, but because you were displeased with your master using a threshing machine. You, therefore, had not the excuse of want in ducing you to go to prison in order to be taken care of, but were acting under a feeling of revenge, and doing what was a most senseless thing, for in wishing ka get rid of agricultural implements you are wish i ing to get rid of that which makes bread cheaper, and therefore is beneficial seed not. injurious to the labouring classes and to the poor—you might as well destroy or burn down the growing corn itself. I shall therefore give you a heavier sentence—viz., 15 years' penal servitude. John Rogers, William White, and Mary Starmer, were charged with burglary in the dwellinghouse of Jaynes Rid diford, at Fenny Stratford, on the Ist December, 1864, and stealing six silver tea-spoons, two silver table-spoons a pair of silver sugar tongs, a quantity of riband, and other articles, worth altogether about £3O. The two men pleaded guilty, and against the woman the case as stated by Mr Stephenson, who appeared for the pro secution was that the house, which was safe on the night of the 30th November, at b in the morning of the next day was discovered to have been broken into, and all the property, save a jacket, was found in the possession of the man White. Now the womanrStarmer, who had been living with Rogers was seen in the company of both the men on the 29th of November, and at 9 o'clock on the night of the robbery, as well as on the next morning ; but in addition to these facts, she was also seen to be wearing a jacket which was identi fied by the prosecutor as part of the property which was taken from his house by the robbers. The prisoner Starmer having called Rogers as a witness in her behalf, he said he had left her asleep under a haystack at 10.30 p.m. on the night of the burglary, and found her still asleep at 5 in the morning, and that he gaVe her the jacket about half-past 5. The jury found her guilty of receiving the property knowing that it was stolen, upon which she was sentenced to one year's imprisonment, while the two men were con demned to 10 years' penal servitude. James Boyd was also indicted for a burglary in the dwel ling house of James Stone, at Newton Longville, on the night of the 17th of September, with intent to steal. Mr Markby appeared for the prosecution, and proved a case which was remarkable more for the stout-hearted con duct of the prosecutor's wife, and for the cool manner in which the prisoner's cross-examination was met by the pro• secutor, than for anything else. The facts were simple, for the prosecutor having roused his wife in the night, she saw the prisoner standing by the bedside, who immediately ran away, followed by Mrs Stone, to the children's bedroom, where he was trying to get out of the window. Mrs Stone seiz3d him by the hair, and held him until her husband got underneath the window and called to let go, which she did, when the man fell into her husband's arms, who, after a scuffle. took him into the house and fixed him in his'arm chair. The prisoner, who endeavoured most ineffectually to con• fuse the prosecutor and his wife, and make them contradict themselves, in addressing the jury, said that he was passing the house at the time, heard the row and noise, and saw a man running away, when he was seized by the prosecutor entirely in mistake for the other man. "Is it feasible, gen tlemen," said ho, " that a man should go to the cottage of a poor man to commit a robbery ?" The jury, however, thought it was, and that he was the guilty man, and upon their verdict ho was sentenced to six months' imptisonment. "A light sentence," said his lordship, " because you did not resist or use any violence to that very courageous and stout-hearted woman when she seized you, or attempt to hurt her, which you might have done." Joseph Baber was indicted for wilfully setting fire to a stack of wheat, the property of James Roads, at Mentmore, on Sept. 13. This was a curious case, on account of the manner in which the detection of the offender was managed by the police authorities, in consequence of the entire absence of suspicion or clue, The fire took place on the 18th of September, and on the 21th a young policeman named William Heads wee instructed by Captain Carter, the Superintendent of the Bucks Polies force, to go from his usual quarters, which was some distance from Mentmore, to that place, where he was not known. This he did, having disguised himself as a labourer, and took service as a horse• keeper with a farmer named Bonest, at 12s a week, After his day's work was over he went over to a public-house frequented by the labourers of the district, called the Hare and Hounds, and kept by a woman named Sale, whose son, as will be seen, was implicated in the offence. There he met the prisoner, with whom he soon became on friendly terms, trea ing him to drink and getting treated in turn, On the 27th they got into conversation at the Hare and Hounds, when the prisoner said, "It is certain they don't and won't know who set Mr Roads's farm on fire ;" and on the sth of next month, at the same place, in another conversation he said, in the presence of the landlady's son, James Sale, " It only took one match to set it on fire ;" to which Sale replied, "It must, have taken a good lot of wood to do it." " I know better," said the prisoner, " It only took one match;" upon which another man, Selston, who was present, said, " Hold your tongue, you fool, or they will find us out;" to which the prisoner answered, " I won't; I know better ; I will tell the truth ; I know all about it, Some few days afterwards a neighbouring btatute fair took place, at which the prisoner was present, and in company with a police-constable. ileads,whe was still dressed as a labourer joined them, and the prisoner said, " Take a drink, Charley, and don't take notice of what I said the other night," admitting that what he had said was true. But the important conversation between them took place on the evening of the 11th in a stable belonging to the Hare and Hounds, when the prisoner told Heads that the fire was arrenged between himself and the two other men, Sale and Selston (who, it appears is blind of one eye) on the Thursday preceding the fire—that on the night when it was done they watched Garibaldi (a policeman who was so nicknanstd in the neighbourhood) out of the place—the prisoner went to the. place instead of Selston because the night was dark and Seleton's eye sight was weak ; and that the prisoner set the wheatatack alight in a little hole underneath the buttons of it, but that the fire would not spread as much as was wished because the night was so wet. Of course the policeman Heads was the principal witness in the case : but several other witnesses were called to corroborate the different parts of the pri soner's conversation, and to substantiate the whole charge. Mr Payne, having pointed cut to the jury the fact that the evidence against the prisoner rested entirely upon ono man, and was obtained in a way contrary to th© established custom and practice of this country, begged them to look closely at all the alleged facts of the case, and sot to place too much reliance on evidence that stood alone and could not fairly be accepted as trustworthy. In answer to the charge thus set up the learned counsel called two or three witnesses with the view of discrediting the policeman's story. The easy was not finished at the tine of digintching our parcel. Scandalous Treatment of Irish Paupers. Yesterday, at the Thames Police-court, John Sherman, an infirm old man, a pauper belonging to the Greenwich union, appeared before Mr Paget to answer a summons taken out by Mr Thomas Babington, solicitor to the Cork union, in Ireland, and which charged the defendant that he, being a person employed in the execution of a warrant duly issued by Mr Daniel Mande, a magistrate at the police court, Greenwich, requiring the guardians of the Green wich union to cause a certain poor person named Julia Hannen and her c'aild to be safely conveyed from the parish of St. Nichelas, Dopcford, to the parish of Killarney, in Ireland, did unlawfully and wilfully desert the said Julia Hannen and her child before they had been conveyed to the place of destination mentioned in the warrant. Mr Charles Young, solicitor, said he was instructed by Mr Babington to prosecute in this case, which was one of great importance. In consequmee of twelve poor persons having been irregularly forwarded to Cork by the Green wich union, the Cork union had instructed their solicitor to proceed against the defendant, who was the only person that could be reached. The 4th section of the 26th and 27th of Victoria, cap. 85, enacted that any person being employed in the execution of a warrant duly issued, who shall wilfully desert any poison mentioned therein before he or she shall have been conveyed to the place of desti nation, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour. M r Maude, the magistrate of the G reenw i ch Police -court, had, upon appli cation made to him, i ssue d his warrant for tho removal of a poor woman and her infant to the union of Killarney, in Ireland, and to be delivered at the workhouse ef the Kil larney union. The defendant had sent the woman and her child to Cork in a steamboat ex deck passengers at this inclement season of tho year, and they had been sent back again for the purposes of this prosecution. Mr Joseph Patte, a relieving officer ct the Greenwich union, asked for an adjournment of the case until the direc tions of the board of guardians could be obtained, but as there was no charge again;t that body, but merely against their officers, Mr Paget refused to comply with the request. Evidence was then given showing that it was in obedience to orders from the relieving officer, Mr Patte, that the de fendant had left th e woman and child on the steamboat. Mr William Cox, an inspector of the Thames Police, who was on board at the time, said ho saw them arrive, and that he told the defendant he was doing wrong in sending them off with nobody in charge of them. Had not the second mate kindly given up his cabin to theta they would have had to remain on deck the whole of the voyage. Witness had be fore seen defendant sending u ff paupers to Ireland as deck passengers, and had warned him several times. _ _ _ Mr Paget—llow long are the steamboats on the voyage from London to Cork ? Wi!ness—About three days and three nights. Mr Babington said there was a special clause in the Ad of Parliament prohibiting the shipment of women and chit. ren under 14 years of ego as deck papsengera between the lsi October and the 31st March. lle then read the section re. ferred to. Mr Paget said it was perfectly clear the defendant, who was an old, illiterate pauper, was following the directions of another. lie was very reluctant to send the old man to prison, because he acted according to the directions given to bim by Mr Patto. They w: re most illegal directions. A more flagrant violation of the law ho bad never heard of. If it had not been for the kindness of the second mate of the steamer the poor w oman, who had been confined only a month, would have been exposed to the elements on the deck of a steamer in the beginning of December for three days and three nights, It was quite monstrous. He was glad the authorities at Cork had taken up this matter, It was a very proper proceeding on the part of the authorities of Cork. Notice ought to be given to Mr Maude, and he should recommend Mr Thibington to wait upon the magistrate of the Greenwich police-court, and let him know how his warrants were executed by the people of the Greenwich onion. In justice to Mr Maude he ought to be made acquainted with the evidence. if any officer of the Thames Police-court was so tar to forget his duty and exe cute a warrant of his as Mr Maude's warrant has been exe cuted, he would immediately suspend him. Ho must com mit the defendant for trial at the next Middlesex sessions, He asked him if he could find security for his appearance there. Mr Paitc—We will be security; I and the master of the Geernwich house. Mr C. Young—l will take the master of the Greenwich union only ; he is not a witness, Patte is, and I object to him. The bond of the master of the union was taken, and the defendant was liberated. A French View of President Lincoln's Re .election. A distinguished French writer, M. Auguste Laugel, contributes an article on Mr Lincoln's re- i election to the number of the .Revue des Deux Mondes of Dec. 15, of which the following are the concluding passages. M. Laugel, it may be men■ tiuned, was in America when the electoral contest took place : " The first words which fell from the lips of the President after the re-election were words of peace and conciliation. Gen. Butler, i❑ a speech which he made before leaving New York, also gave it to be understood that pacific proposals would soon be made to the Southern States. 'rho misfortunes and the emotions of the war have not aroused any sen timent of vengeance or of hatred in the hearts of the inhabitants of the North; they are ready to restore to the Southern States all their constitutional rights, to cover everybody with a generous amnesty, to consider all the decrees of confiscation a dead letter. They merely ask of the South the renun. elation of an institution henceforth considered in compatible with the Union. Never since the com mencement of the war has the North felt itself so powerful, so united, so confident ; all doubt, all hesitation has disappeared; the war has henceforth its definitive meaning ; all the forces of the nation have found a common object. This unconscious pur pose, pervading thousands of individual minds, has at last become aware of its own existence. As the price of so much bloodshed, of so many tears, exer tions, and troubles, it asks one thing only—' the Union without slavery: The popular verdict has already excited deep agitation in the Confederate ranks. Mr Lffersen Davis and his friends hoped that the democratic party would obtain the victory ; they believed the North exhausted, discouraged, divided, and even if Mr Lincoln were elected they at least expected that his majority would be too small to assure his moral authority. If a new civil war grew out of the existing civil war, if the fac tions armed against each other in the towns and in the States of the North, if party spirit penetrated even the ranks of the army, the rebellion regained in a moment all it had lost. A single day has anni hilated these vain hopes; the Southern Confederacy stands face to face with the gloomy reality ; it sees its army decimated, half its original territory lost for ever, its last remaining cities threatened, its treasury empty, its credit exhausted. No free voice can make itself heard in those States subjected to the military government; but the accounts of pri soners and refugees, the tone of the few Southern journals in which regret and weariness may be discerned under an assurance of enforced enthusiasm, the speeches recently delivered in Georgia by Mr. Jefferson Davis himself, the messages of several governors of rebel States, the disgrace of the vice president, Mr. Stephens, who formerly made great efforts to prevent the secession movement, all lead to the belief that the Confederation is at this moment being slowly torn asunder. A silent struggle has commenced' between those who, satisfied with having vindicated military honour, have no wish to plunge their country in greater disasters, and those who, despairing of victory, wish at least to sur render merely a solitude to their enemies, This might be foreseen from the commencement of the rebellion ; the new Confederacy contained within it two germs of death, slavery and the very prin ciple of secession. The South rose against the North because it believed its favourite institution threatened, and now, at the end of four years of contest, people begin to talk at Richmond of giving erais to the negroes, and of offering them libeity as the price of their alliance ! The slaveowners took up arms in the name of the sovereignty of the States and now the Governor of Georgia plays off that sovereignty against the despotism of Richmond, and gives it to be understood that each of the Con federate Sates can separately make peace with the North ! Never has the logic which flews beneath the events of history been more imperious or more visible ; nothing has been able to retard its decrees, neither the courage of the Southern armies nor the firmness of that soldier-President, at once military and civil organiser, around whom there is some thing of a tragic grandeur to which even the most resolute enemies of his cause cannot remain insen sible. If the war in the United States had been an ordinary war that commanding figure might pr. haps have secured the favours of fortune; but this great contest is in reality a revolution, and in the struggle of principles at stake toe victory will rest with the citizen-President. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. DUBLIN AND BELFAST', AND DUBLIN AND DROGHEDA. A meeting of shareholders in these companies was held on Tuesday in Dublin ; Mr Gartland in the chair. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the troceedings, said if the directors were iu earnest in carrying out an amalgamation of the two companies the meeting would assist them in every way ; but if they were not, then the shareholders would take up the matter and carry it out themselves. Mr M. ANDERSON said he had prepared a bill in cense. quence of representations made to him by several share holders, and the project recommended itself so much to his own feelings that he felt no difficulty in carrying out those representations, backed as they had been by his own imme diate clients, and by the difficulties which he perceived to exist in carrying on the traffic between Dublin and Belfast, and which he felt could be remedied if the management were in the hands of a single directory. As the professional pro moter of the bill, he unhesitatingly declared to every per son present that, whether by attendance there or by signing the petition for the bill, no responsibility would be incurred for costs or any other expenses. He had no feeling against the boards of the two companies, and, in fact, ho did not think they could get a more respectable body of men. He read the clauses of the proposed bill, which proposed to in corporate the two companies in a company to be called "the Dublin, Drogheda, and Belfast Railway Company," with a capital of £2,186,898, being the joint capital of the existing companies, and providing for the constitution of general meetings, the calling special meetings, a board of directors, consisting of nine members, five to form a quo.. rum, each director's qualification to be £2,000, and that one-third of them should go out of office annually. /%Ir SHANNON then moved the following resolution:-- "That t ho shareholders of the Dublin and Drogheda and Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway Companies do heartily approve an amalgamation of the two companies, as cal culated to save expense, to increase the value of the pro perty, to conduce to the public convenience, and to develop the traffic on the tines, and that the bill now read appears to this meeting properly framed to carry out these objects," Mr A, FINDLATER seconded the resolution, which wa. carried unanimously. _ _ The proceedings - terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman. -- DUBLIN, RATHMINES, RATHGAR, AND ROUNDTOWN. The first general meeting of this company was held on Monday in DO-din—Sir P. Nugent in the chair. • The Secretary read the report, which stated that the con nection formed under the present act with the D üblin,Wick low, and Wexford Company's line, at the Harcourt-street terruinuq, would enable the latter company and Ihis com pany each to carry its passengers and goods traffic, on their respective lines, to and from the company's sta'ion at Tri• nity-street ; and in this respect the company would pro& largely by this highly important and valuable connection. The directors wake persuaded that, taking into account the important position of the city terminus and the line of coun try through which the railway would pass, the company's undertaking would prove eminently successful, The report was unanimously adopted, and Mr H. R, Perry and Mr J. L. Bryne were appointed auditors ; Sir H. P. Nugent, Sir J. Cray, Mr J. Rivolfa t Mr D. Treace, Mr L• E. Knox, and Mr J. Kincaid were erected directors, and the proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman. [ADIT.P.,TISEMENT.I—HoIIoway's Pills are the most gen tle, yet most effective aperients, and therefore better calcu lated for a family medicine than any other drug. They always set the stomach right, rouse the liver, stimulate the kidneys, and thoroughly cleanse the whole system Hollo way's pills are most useful in chronic weakness of the sto mach, induced by luxurious living, sedentary habits, or other causes. They have restored the emaciated to health after every other means had failed. While they are puri fying they are strengthening, while regulating they are increasing nervous and muscular power. These pills do not excite any violent action in the body ; hence they are specially suited to the young aad feeble, whose constitu tions may be irretrievably injured by more powerful medi cine, SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIMES.—The people of the Northern States of America have just taken a step of the momentous importance of which we, whose fate it is to live under the carefully balanced institutions of an effete feudal monarchy, are perhaps scarcely able to judge. They have just consigned their lives, their liberties, their property, their present, and their future for four years certain to one of their citizens, in one of the most difficult and dangerous crises which history records. They are well acquainted with the object of their choice, and are so far satisfied with the state in which they find the republic at the end of four years of his treatment that they are willing to confide themselves to him for another four years, though scarcely, we should think, on the supposition that the future is to be like the past. The man of their choice has addressed them in a written Message, and they have the opportunity of knowing what they have done, and what estimate their chosen ruler forms of the task that is set before him. We know not with what feelings America has perused this Message of her President. Having by some inscrutable process, found in his past career the elements of future sue- cess; she may possibly find in this Mange a clear and hopeful account of the means by which that success Is to ba obtained. For ourselves, w•e never read a public document less calculated to inspire hope, because we never read one in the preparation of which a firm conviction of ultimate success ap. peared to have so little share. Mr Lincoln, at any rate, deserves the credit that he neither seeks to amplify the resources of the North nor to extenuate those of the South. He states his financial difficul ties with candour and fairness, abstains from pro- phecies as to the ,termination of the war, and is principally anxious to point out the sacrifices which it is sure to demand. The American people have made their bed and they must lie on it. They have determined, after fall deliberation, almost in the very words of Aristophanes, " We want no truce, let the war go on ;" and the main business of the President is to set before them the import of the step they have taken, and to ask from them the sacrifices which that step demands. He is in. clined to think that if the English Government could have foreseen all the consequences of the step they would hardly have recognised the Confederate States as belligerents. We are not of that opinion ; bat we certainly think that if the American people could have foreseen all the conse quences that have followed from the war, they would never have engaged in it. • The financial position is truly formidable, and need not be recapitulated here. If anything could make one think worse of the state of things than the bare figures themselves, it would be the suggestion of the Message for the for mation of a new kind of stock, which is to enjoy all the privileges of asylum, and may very properly be introduced to the market under the title of "Alsatian Bonds." - This privileged security, to ba issued by a great and prosperous community in the fourth year of a war undertaken with 75,600 men and repeatedly announced as being about to be closed in 90 days, is to enjoy an absolute immunity from the demands of justice and patriotism. Whatever straits the State may be reduced to, it is to be solemnly bound not to tax this new species of obligation ; whatsoever be the debts of the holder, not one penny is to be paid out of it. Henceforth, when a man wishes to avoid paying his just debts, he will have no occasion to resort to the bungling expedient of settling land on his wife and children, and assigning a nominal es tate to trustees for the benefit of his creditors. He will not even be obliged to remit the means of a comfortable maintenance to Europe with the intens tied of following it as soon as he is called upon for payment. He will have nothing to do but to invest his creditors' money in some of Mr Lincoln's new stock, and he may laugh at his creditors, having been enabled, as the Message expresses it, " as a prudent person, to set aside a email annuity against a pos sible day of want." What must be the situation of the Government, what the extremity of its pecuniary distress, when it proposes thus publicly to sell to the needy and unprincipled a sure, easy, and simple way of evading the payment of their debts? We see Go. v er nments do strange things , we see them repudiate their own obligations like Spain, we see them utt er ly careless of enforcing the law against debtors as in the South American republics and in Oriental countries, but we never saw before a proposal by the chief magistrate of a great nation to sell to its citizens a licence to incur debts over which the decisions of Courts shall have no power. The only difficulty in the scheme is the possibility that people may sus pect a Government so willing to furnish its subjects with the means of eluding their obligations of not being very fastidious in the discharge of its own, and that when the money has once been borrowed and spent the Executive Government may repent of the privilege which it has created. Mr. Lincoln is very anxious to cosfiac the benefits of his fiaan cial operations to America. He wishes to divide the debt as equally as poseibie, among the people. He repudiates foreign money. Whether the loan be a benefit or a burden it should bo equally divided. There cannot be much oppression he thinks in a debt which people owe to themselves. That is true; but are we expected to admit that each india vidual American who lends mousy to the State is absolutely identical with the State itself; or is it not certain that while he undertakes the whole ins divided risk of lender he is subject to only about one twenty-millioneth part of the responsibilities of bor rower, so that he is just as far from lending to him self as a single unit is from twenty millions ? The employment of such gross fallacies does not bespeak [_any great confidence by the President in his finan cial position. If' we turn to military affairs, we are informed that the great feature of the year is Sher• man's expedition into Georgia. We are not yet able to say whether Sherman will succeed in escap ing the fate of Burgoyne; but we know that his apparent rashness is excused by the fact that Sher man was unable to return on the way by which he came; so that the most remarkable feature of the war, according to the President, is the wild and desperate effort of an out-manceavred Gene ral to exticate himself from a position which whatever effect it may have had on the election, should never, on mere military grounds, have been occupied at all. If we look to the waste of life occasioned by the war, the prospect is almost equally gloomy. The President relies on immigration to make g oo d th e ravages o f war, and congratulates the people on the election, not because it has re-appointed him to rule over them, but be" Cause there were so many living men left to vote. " While corps, and divisions, and brigades, and regiments have formed, and dwindled, and gone out, of existence, a great many of the men who come posed them are still living. The same is true of the navel service. So many veers could not else be found." This is, indeed, an original topic of con solation. They do not conquer, but they do not die ; teey cease to serve the State as soldiers, but sur vive to serve her as voters. The muster-rolls are empty, but, as a compensation, the ballot-boxes are full. Lest and dreariest of all are the President's views on the prospects of peace. No negotiation can do any good. The Union must be preserved. The South insists on severing it. The President recommends, by way of a peace offering, the total abolition of slavery —a measure sure to be passed sooner or later, and which, he thinks, may as well be done at once. "It is still open to all to lay down their arms and seek pardon, but the time may come, probably will come, when public duty shall demand that the avenue to grace shell be closed." Thus, without apparently possessing any confidence that he can bring the war to a speedy or successful terc mination, does the President refuse all reconcilia tion, except on terms which he well knows the Southern leaders cannot and will not accept,—the laying down their arms, suing for pardon, imme diate abolition of slavery, and restoration of the Union as: it was four years ago. The vessel is driving straight on the rocks, and the helmsman will not move his hand to the right or to the left in order to avoid a collision which must shatter it to atoms. POST.—The disaster cn the North Kent Railway forms an exception to the rule in railway accidents, in so far as there would appear to be no great diffi culty in ascertaining its cause. That it occurred through an error is too evident. The facts, as they have been disclosed in evidence, clearly take it out of the category of accidents properly so called. But although it may be assumed that the collision was caused by a mistake, it is by no means so easy to arrive at a reasonable and just conclusion with re. speet to the apportionment of the responsibility. This is precisely the difficulty that is met with in all cases of the kind, and it is conspicuous in the 0f.19 that is now being investigated. Of course, pending the inquiry it would be improper to d'scuss +las question as affects the individual whose blunder is suppond to have led to the fatal result; but the circumstances may be referred to without prejudice; and, indeed, in the interests of public justice, they ought to be stated and considered. The account given of the accident is, as we have said, remarkable for its simplicity. On the afternoon of Friday last a ballast train left Dartford about five minutes past three o'clock. It was an ordinary train, consisting of twenty-two trucks, and an engine and tender. E ich truck was laden with gravel, and the engine was in front. The train stopped at Erith, where eight trucks were unloaded, and nine which were loaded, were taken on ; and after detaching the eight empty trucks at Abbey Wood, it proceeded to Charlton where there was a stoppage directed by signal. This was about four o'c►ock, and at a quarter past four the signal to start was given, and the train entered the Blackheath tunnel with twenty-three loaded trucks and two breaks. About midway in the tunnel, owing to the damp, as it is alleged, the wheels slipped and would not" bite" Shs train (17" -vas the rails. and t apa . to 1 It therefore uncoupled, or divided, and the first per' e tion, consisting of about twelve trucks, went through the tunnel, and on emerging from it the signal man was signalled, and immediately told that only half the train had been brought through. It appears that the guard, when he uncoupled the train, experienced a concussion, and heard people groaning ; and also that when the train left tier.l- ton there was a train due from Woolwich. Thin train was the express from Maidstone, which stopped at Charlton, was allowed to proceed from thence on the receipt of the " All clear" signal from Biaek heath, and ran into the ballast train, or a po rtion of it, in the tunnel. There can be no doubt, then' that the accident was directly caused by the " All clear" signal being sent in error from Blackheath, or by its being misapprehended at Charlton; and, according to the evidence of the station-master at the former place, the signalman there admitted to him that he was afraid he had given the " clear signal. It seems probable, indeed, that when part of the ballast train left the tunnel the signal was instantly given under the impression that the whole train had come through, and it should be observed that the signalman at the time was a railway porter, doing duty for a man who was ill, an d new to the work, having only been so employed for six days. Fortunately a working roan of Blackheath hal ) " pened to be passing when the half of the ballot train came out of the tunnel, and seeing that it bad no tail light, he felt convinced that it had been divided, and, with forethought which proved most valuable, at once communicated with the station' master. Consequently, the train from Lou' don, which arrived a few minutes afterwards, was stopped, and a terrible aggravation of the catas trophe undoubtedly prevented. It is to be hoped that the railway company will not suffer such an instance of caution to pass unheeded or unrewarded . This system of signalling is indisputably perfect as far as it goes, and the South Eastern Railway Com pany are justly proud of it. Bat, admirable as any system may be, it is necessarily dependent on its working agencies. It is with railways as it is with every other organisation, and the most excellent theories often fail through their practical deficien ties. As the Blackheath station-master said, he had al' ways found the machinery of the signals work wel l ; " It was beautifully arranged, and never before had there been any mishap; but, when human agency failed, what was to be done ?" The coroner proper l y answered that there appeared to have been acts of omission as well as commission, and it is possible to rely too confidently on the beauty of a system. Many systems that are full of anomalies answer their purpose well enough with an administratio n regulated by sound, pr - ctical common sense. 1- 11 , 9 fact that overmuch is expected from a man employ ed in signaling on railways has been before remarked' and yet here we have a porter, whose wages sr° sixteen shillings a week, required to perform a° arduous and anxious duty from seven o'clock in the morning to six o'clock in the evening, with one hour allowed for dinner. It is very well to sal that if the signalman had waited to see the whole train out of the tunnel, as he was bound to do, this disaster would not have occurred; but the question rather is, we submit, first, whether due care WI taken in placing such a man at such a post, and keeping him there so many hours on the stretch . and, next, whether this ballast train should ha ve been permitted to leave Charlton when it wa s known that the express train was due whethe r ' in short, some allowance ought not to be made 11 1 practice for the fallibility of the "human a gency' ` It seems strange, too, that these ballast trains can not be timed with more regard to the passenge r traffic; and, as regards the latter, there is, we srAe afraid, more haste than is consistent with g oo ,`; speed. People grumble if they are delayed, and sometimes very unreasonably ; but they all t,"„ same hold the railway companies responsible 3°' their safety, and probably a careful revision of the time tables would obviate a great deal of the 0 111 r: muring and prevent many accidents. But it sc , must have a fast system, and if gravel and pass e % gers must be conveyed on the same line in the ono hour, the service of a railway ought to be equal t ‘it what is demanded of it. If everything deP eri , u r upon a signalman, a telegraph clerk, and a po rt who carries verbal messages from one to the other' these agents should be capable men, men entert ain' ing a sense of their responsibility, and to be that they must be adequately paid and not tasked be yond their ability. COUNTRY MARKETS. NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE—TuEsDAY. The weather continues very wet and inclement ill the north country. The market was attended by a model' all number of the trade to-day, and, with a fair supply of articles, business was dull, and at previous rates. Averages -- Wheats, 383 7d—barley," 30s Od—bean''' —s Od—oats, 21a Od. HULL—TUESDAY. At our market to-day there was a moderate supply English wheat, and although the demand ruled dull, Or °I a; mer prices were realised. Barley in fair supply, WW I y p inactive sale, at about late quotations. Beans a 1 10 trade, and peas unchanged. Oats quiet. LYNN—TUESDAY. of At our market to-day there was a moderate supplY English wheat, which sold readily at about previous rate°: Barley, beans, and oats movel cff at the quotations of 10" week. 31° White wheat 41s to 428 33 s to Barley .to 3 ° 6 383 to 40s grinding Beaus .318 to 36s Oats ..... . Old ... 3os to 38s Peas — 2o s s ttoo MELTON MOWBItAY—TUESDAY. e The following were the currencies :—New whit© wile3t! 42s Od to 45s Od ; new red, 388 Od to 41s beans, 37s to 43s for old ; new sorts, 35s to 3 7s pe r 35 barley, 32s to 34s for malting, and 28s to 3 0 s per cl, r ' 263 grinding; new oats, 21s, to 24s Od per 24 stone,. ow, to 28s. per 36 stoat.. SHEFFIELD—TUESDAY. TM A good attendance of farmers and dealers to-day c sr trade was quiet. Farmers refusing to accept lower pr_qto millers bought very catiously at late rates. Barley', w 0 a modern to demand, sold at former rates. Oats and bes dull. , gs 0 1 lied wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels... l ss Od to 1v,,0j White If New red New white „ Beans ~ :, • ... . . ,161 1 1 7 5 8 s 0 00 d cia t tt 0 00 p p, : 6: 06 1 , > ~. 15s Ocl to i d s Od 42s Peas, per qr 4os Od to • . 75 , od Grindc• in barley, per qr 30s Od to 3 Z ; Oa Malting ditto, „ 32s Od to 3 Od Oats 2ls od to 03 Floui:, is 5d to 16 9d per 14 lb. COAL MARA ET. /floes of Coal per 'ron at the close of the marxe" e. d. Walls End. Lambert's West Hart- ley 13 6 Bates'sWest liartley 18 0 flolywell 14 9 Tantield Moor 18 3 Wylam 18 6 Eden Main 22 3 9. 3 (' Hetton ............... 23 0 Heugh ......... .23 g South Kelloe. ...... •. 22 6 Russel's Hetton ..... 21 3 East llartlepool ..... 0 Hartlepool ......... 0 Tunstall ...... 6 Cassop ...... Newßchnont ....... . 13 ; sold, 13, Walls End. Bell 2l 61 k'rainwellga.te ..22 31 Ships at inarkei Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. . 0a 1 0 ' Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. ..... 'via Marseilles' ......... Jan z, 6. Brazil and Cape Verds, by British padot. ....... 1,01 Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. lielena•d',', o . 19' China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton..„-ve6c. 21 via Marseilles .• Falkland Islands - l9 . • • ...... . ii. Gibraltar, via Southamptt n ................. .D e c. !,',. f . India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via SouthamptOu• . D e c, ', f via Marsoillot 4 . •• . D e c. A, India (Bombay), via Southampton ............ Dec. S. via Marseilles ............... . Tao . ~. Portugal.... ............................... 'bee , 1 ; 1 . Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton ....... D e c. r , l via Marseilles . ...... nee , -, r , Newfoundland ...... .. Oporto and Vigo .. . ............. . . U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.. • Dec P by U.S. r acket. ~ j.reo , V , by Canadian pac k . jail. 0. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe .......... , eO , i _ . West Indies and Pacific .. ........ y ao. 4 . .... — e t:. : 4 'Bahamas (via New York) ................ .p Bermuda (ditto) ........................ .Pee' Cuba and Mexico ......................... Births. Ai, beta. CHA.TrEurs.—On the 20th inst., at Hazledeant o'4 Sc": er. hill, the wife of Henry Chatteris, Beg., of a ? -1 ef f * MORRIS.—On the 20 th inst., Mrs , Alfred 111°rris, W d Y a N u N gh —On the 21st inst,, at 18, St. Jarse B'l4-°qUare9l'acil Williams Wynn, of a daughter. Marriages. c...,,. (0;1.4' LETIIBRIDGE—BOYER.-0a the 19th inst., at , - 6 fl e t -,,,, c Hanover-square, Walter Buckler youngest 6° ,- - .i o e P'" John Hesketh Lethbridge, Bart., ' to Eleanor Ns' 9 daughter of M. A. Boyer, of Pars. at St. Jat ae9 e °° ' SMITII—CHIT—On the 20th ill St., --•radcli, Paddington, Mr W. Smith, of Celbridge-Pls"' a dle, 14t ' . ton, to Sarah, eldest daughter of Mr. Peter Cho of Bagtugton, n -qtr Coventry. of Deaths. Tz v ld ov' v 4, BAYLDoN.-0a the 19 th inst., Thomas .- ~, - 1-, Yorkshire, a ged 81. a of / Tot , II Ilohinghurt, II ILL —On the 2003. inst, aaorgo Charing-cross. r e Vq. llonNE.—On the 21st inst., at Brixton, aged 50. „ of MANTorr.—On the 16th inst., Willimn Marlton, s'i.' Cruteliedtriars, uity, aged 6~• •RA rzerie°l3' n.knoEnrsoN.--On the 21st inst., at Mrs . C. 1 "' 3 "'" ut 230, Blaokfriars-road, aged 61 "Neale li.orn ) London: Frtrized and Frtdislied Dy WILLI.A.3I ANipit.-;:i V, of No. 112, Strand, Frinter at TriD SUN Ofne,, :mity Of Strand, In he Precinct of :be Savoy. n the s't - VidaCEQX.—Thursday, DcGcluDyr 22, Vol.